Laundry machine



J. B. KIRBY v LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed May l, 193] y March 1, 1938.

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LAUNDRY MACH INE 37e sa@ QBM/m,

AT Ta Ruvs menne 1, 193s .UNITED srlrrss PATENT oFFlcl-z LAUNDRY MAGHINEl James B. Kirby, Went Richfield, Ohio, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to The Apex lElectrical Manufacturing Company, Clev land, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio, as trustee Application May 1, 1931, Serial` No. 534,316'

18 Claims.

new, having siderable part in my previous applications Serial No. 694,899, filed February 25, 1924, which matured on August '7, 1934 into Patent No. 1,969,176, Serial No. 176,908, led March 21, 1927, which was abandoned on April 3, 1932, Serial No. 191,-

30, 1933 into Patent No. hereinafter referred to.

The particular objects of the present invention arel the provision of a combined washing machine t of the oscillating-dasher type Aand extractor of the centrifugal ty wherein the dasher is entirely disconnected from the driving mechanism during the rotatio-n of the extractor; the provicome apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application Fig. 1 is' a vertical sectional view through the center of a preferred 3 3 of Fig. 1 and looking downwardly; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and looking downward- 1y; Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a part of the 6 and 7 Fig. 8a shows certain lparts of said friction clutch; and Fig.`9 is a horizontal section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7 and looking upwardly.

lis the vertical, hollow, bearing-sleeve 3 which projects above liquid level. Movably surrounding this sleeve is a second sleeve 4 having secured to its lower end the circular bottom 5 of the clothes separately from the. portion 5B and having its margin rigidly braced and secured to the bottom 5 in stiffening relation. w

Movably surrounding the sleeve 4 is a third sleeve I2 having at its lower end a circular disk cember 31, 1929, and which was on December 8,

having its upper end suitably formed, as by the flutes I3, for the reception of the sleeve I2 in supportedand operated relation, said sleeve being here provided with an internally-fiuted socket I3 for the purpose.

The sleeve 3 is supported by attachment to a hollow boss 20 carried by the supporting frame which will be described hereafter. Rotatably journaled on the exterior of said sleeve 3 beneath said boss is the hub 2| of a spiral gear 22 which meshes with a companion spiral gear 23 carried by the horizontal drive shaft 214. The position of the gear 22 is xed on the sleeve by means of a collar 25. Journaled in suitable bearings 30-33 carried by the frame is a vertical shaft 3| having at its upper end a spiral gear 32 meshing with a second spiral gear 33 carried by the shaft 24 and having at its lower end a crank 35 connected by a pitman 36 to an oscillatable, toothed member 31 pivoted on a vertical axis at 38.

Rigidly secured to the lower end of the shaft I1 is a pinion 40 adapted to mesh with the oscillatable member 31 whereby oscillating movement may be transmitted to the sleeve I2 so long as this meshing exists. Rigidly secured to the lower end of the hollow shaft I5 is the entering element 4I of a cone clutch, the complementary receiving portion of which is a hollow tapering flange 42 integral with and depending from the gear 22 whereby rotation may be transmitted to the container 8 so long as these clutch-members remain in contact.

Surrounding the shaft I1 is the bottom-plate 43 of a stirrup 44 having elevated sides 45 to which are articulated the upper ends of connecting links 46, whose lower ends are articulated to the forked arms 41 of a pedal lever 48 which is pivoted to the frame by a horizontal pin or shaft 49. A suitable thrust-bearing is interposed between the stirrup and the next adjacent part above the same, which in this case is the clutchmember 4|, the bearing being shown at 50. The

extremity of the lever 48 is provided with a corl rugated plate 5| for the operator-s foot, and near thereto a detent lever 52 is provided having a tooth 53 adapted to engage notches 54 in a stationary sector 55 thus enabling the parts to be retained in selected position.

An electric motor 60 having its armature shaft 6I horizontal is pivotally suspended from a horizontal pivot-rod 62 carried" by the frame, the rod and shaft being parallel tothe shaft 24 and to each other. Motion is transmitted between the shafts by a belt 63 applied to pulleys with which said shafts are provided, the motor being kept tight by means of a spring 64 applied to a portion of said motor remote from the rod 62 and adjustably tightened by a nut 65 and a threaded rod 65* carried by the motor.

The operation of the device thus far described 4 is as follows: the clothing to be washed is placed in the container 8 and detergentliquid added to a level preferably between a and b shown in Fig. 1. With the parts occupying the position shown in Fig. l, the operation of the motor causes Ian oscillatory movement of the sleeve I2 its blades I4, setting up vigorous currents inside the contaner in the direction shown by the arrows. This agitation loosens the dirt from 1the clothing and this dirt, together with the scum .is largely expelled through the apertures in the sides and to the bottom of the container where they are entrapped, the grit settling to the bottom and the' scum collecting in the annular space outside the wall 1. During this part of the ctionthe container has been free to rotate but does not so rotate unless accidentally something becomes caught between it and the dasher.' When the washing operation has continued to a sufficient extent the pedal is depressed bringing the parts into the position shown in Fig. 2. This disengages the pinion 40 from the oscillating member 3l and brings it into engagement with'a spring .68 carried by one of the bearings 30 whereby it is held stationary; although it is likewise possible to omit the spring in which event the dasher will either revolve or remain atrest in accordance with the comparative friction effec Upon engagement of the two parts of the friction clutch the container is gradually brought to a high speed of rotation in order to extract adherent liquid centrifugally. Elevation of the clutch member 42 under the inuenceof member 4| is opposed by a thrust bearing 66 and spring 81 which thus produces a predetermined driving effect.

Partly as a safety measure, and partly to reduce 'the cost of the casing, the latter is terminated by a rim 10 located at such level as to be overtopped by at least part of the apertures of the container when said container is elevated, ,25

thus necessitating the employment of the removable splash-band 1 I. Preferably this band is provided with inwardly-turned rim 12 loosely receiving the rim 3 of the container and preventing the operator from touching the same while rotating. This, combined with the disconnection of the dasher, renders it safe to use the extractorwithout any cover, although a cover 13 is preferably provided to prevent splashing during the washing operation and the same may be left on during the extraction if desired. This splashband is described and claimed in my application Serial Number 342,520 above mentioned.

In Figs. 6, '1, 8 and 9 of this application I have shown the machine illustrated and claimed in my application Serial Number 694,899` above mentioned. This machine comprises a casing having a side wall I* and bottom wall 2*, supported on a suitable frame and having a vertical central.

. apertures 83 near the top thereof, although the lower part is substantially imperforate to prevent the escape of liquid. Above the apertures an inwardly-tapering safety-guard 1* is provided. Carried by the upper end of the shaft I1* is the oscillatable-dasher I2* terminating about its lower end in a downwardly-flaring conical disk I3* which closely overiies the flaring bottom of the container and formed on its exterior with dasher blades |4*. l

The sleeve 3* is su 4ported by attachment to a hollow neck 20* carried by the supporting frame, and rotatably journaled on the shaft I1* beneath said sleeve is the hub 2|* of a spiral gear 22'L which meshes with companion spiral gear 23* carried by the horizontal drive-shaft 24*. Journaled to they frame on a level with the gear. 22* is a spiral gear 33* connected by a pitman 36* to an osoillatable toothed member 31* pivoted on a I Acontainer is illled with |11l is a pinion 40 adapted to mesh with the oscillatable member 31?, and rigidly secured to the lower end of the hollow shaft I5 may be the radially-slotted plate 8|I bymeans of which motion is transmitted to said sleeve from the pinion 22a through the friction disk clutch shown limited degree of friction for this duced by some coiled springs 90 interposed between the gear 22a and the nearest disk, these being located in apertures formed for the purpose in a ange 9| carried by said hub. Motion of the plate 88 is transmitted to the plate 8| by means of a nger 93 carried by the one and engaging the slots of the other.

Carried by the lower end of the shaft |'|=1 is a thrust-bearing 50a which rests on a stirrup44a, one end of which is pivoted at 95 to a' frame member and the other end of which is articulated at 96 to a link whose upper end is attached to an arm 91 carried by a rock-shaft 98 provided with a hand-lever 99. In one position of said hand-l lever the gear 4|)a meshes with the oscillating member 3la producing oscillatory movement of the shaft Ila and the dasher the pin 93 the containeris at rest.

In the other position of this lever the gear 40a at will, ldepending only upon the friction between the two shafts and their related parts. 'I'he only substantial difference between the two machines is that in the washing liquid by lowering it into the liquid, while in the second device filling is accomplished by raising the liquid. For this purpose I have shown the hub 4a as formed with vertical flow-openings and the sleeve 3*i as surrounded by a conduit |0| communicating therewith. Located at one end of the motor 60a is a centrifugal pump |02 whose inlet is connected by a pipe |03 with the bottom of the casing and whose outlet is connected by a pipe |04 with the conduit |0|. In this Way, a continuous overflowing of liquid from the container 8a is pro-- duced during the time that the mechanism is being driven by said motor through the belt 63a.

'I'he supporting frame of the first described device is preferably made of three vertical channel members ||0 rigidly secured at top and bottom to horizontal angle-irons the parts being spot-welded together tornake a Ilight and rigid whole. Three of these -uprights are preferably panels' ||3 by which H8, which overlaps the fans purpose S plO- being meanwhile disengaged so that rst described device the4 3 employed, the 'side flanges 2 of the uprights being flared atan angle of 60. The sides of the frame are then covered by flat sheet-metal the mechanism is hidden, that panel which constitutes the front of the housing being stamped out as shown at ||4 1n tical slot to permit the pedal movement.

However, a vertical cornered castors 1; and over each corner of the housing I attach a hollow slanting sheet-metal sham of thepanels ||3 and affords a., finished appearance at minimum cost. The lower margins of the panels ||3 are extended vbeyond the uprights so as to prevent top of the housing is surrounded by a circular sheet-metal hoop |20 provided with a narrow skirt 2| hiding the top of the housing ers |24. The bearings 30 are most conveniently carried by a bracket |25 secured to that upright ||0 which is opposite the pedal.

1. In a laundry machine, in combination, a

casing. a container mountedthcrein for movement about a vertical axis, said container being rotation of said container.

2. In a laundry machine, in combination, a casing, a container mounted therein for movement about a vertical axis, said container being supported solely from below and said casing and container both having axial working openings at the top, a dasher inside said container, said dashindependently rotatable about one and the same vertical axis, means-for raising and lowering said container into and out of liquid contacting position, means operative While saidcontainer is in housing like Lthis t heretofore mentioned 3. In a laundry machine, in combination, a casing, an upright sleeve fixedly secured to the bottom thereof and rising above liquid level therein, a hollow shaft journaled in said sleeve, a'second shaft journaled inside said hollow shaft, said shafts being movable each independently of the other, an upright rotatable container located inside'said casing and secured to said hollow shaft, an oscillatable dasher located inside said container and secured to said second shaft, a driving element beneath said container, gearing for connecting said driving-element to said shafts selectively, said gearing comprising an oscillating element adapted tobe connected solely to said second shaft and a rotating element adapted to be connected solely to said hollow shaft, and means for disconnecting said gearing from both of said shafts before connecting it to either of said shafts.

4. In a laundry machine, in combination, a

casing, an uprightfsleeve fixedly secured to the bottom thereof and rising above liquid Nlevel therein, a hollow shaft journaled in said sleeve, a second shaft journaled inside said hollow shaft, said shafts being movable each independently of the other, a second sleeve movably surrounding said first sleeve and secured to said hollow shaft,

` an upright rotatable container carried by and coaxial with said second sleeve, a third sleeve movably surrounding said second sleeve and secured to said second shaft, said third sleeve having dasher blades, a driving element beneath said container, gearing for connecting said driving-element to said shafts selectively. said gearing comprising an oscillating elementadapted to be connected solely to said second shaft and a rotating element adapted to be connected solely` to said hollow shaft, and means for disconnecting said gearing from both of said shafts before connecting it to either of said shafts.

5. In a laundry machine, in combination, a casing, a container mounted for movement about a vertical axis inside said casing, a dasher mounted inside said container for movement about the same axis, a driving element located beneath said casing, operating gearing comprising an oscillating element and a rotating element operatively connected to said driving element, mechanism for connecting said gearing to said dasher and container selectively and preventing said gearing from being connected to said dasher and container simultaneously, said rotating element being connectible solely to said container and said oscillating element being connectible solely to said dasher, and means to hold said dasher stationary during the rotation of said extractor.

6. In a-laundry machine, in combination, a casing, a container mounted therein for movement about a'vertical axis, said container being supported solely from below and said casing and container both having axial working openings at the top, a dasher inside said container, said dasher and container being independently rotatable about one and the same vertical axis, means for raising and lowering said container into and out of liquid contacting position,l means operative while said container is in its lowered position to oscillate said dasher without moving said container, and means operative while said container is elevated for rotating holding said dasher against rotation.

7. In a laundry machine, in combination, a casing, bottom thereof and rising above liquid level therein, a hollow shaft journaled in said sleeve,

be connected solely said container and for an upright sleeve fixedly secured to the.

a second shaft journaled inside said hollow shaft, said shafts being movable each independently of the other, an upright rotatable container located inside said casing and secured to said hollow shaft, an oscillatabie dasher located inside said container and secured to said second shaft, a driving element beneath said container, gearing for connecting said driving-element to said shafts selectively, said gearing comprising an oscillating element adapted to be connected solely to said second shaft and arotating element adapted to to said hollow shaft, and means for axially moving said shafts for disconnecting said gearing from both of said shafts before connecting it to either of said shafts.l

8. In a laundry machine, in combination, a casing, an upright sleeve fixedly secured to the bottom thereof and rising above liquid level therein, a hollow shaft journaled in said sleeve, a second shaft journaled inside said hollow shaft, said shafts being movable each independently of the other, an upright rotatable container located inside said casing and secured to said hollow shaft, an oscillatable dasher located inside said container and secured to said second shaft, a driving element beneath said container, gearing for connecting said driving-element to said shafts selectively, said gearing comprising an oscillating element adapted to be connected solely to said second shaft and a rotating element adapted to be connected solely to said hollow shaft, and means for axially moving said dasher and container for disconnecting said gearing from both of said shafts beforeconnecting it to either of said shafts.

9. In a laundry machine, in combination, a

' casing, an upright sleeve flxedly'secured to the bottom thereof and rising'above liquid leveltherein, a hollow shaft journaled in said sleeve, a second shaft journaled inside said hollow shaft, said shafts being movable each independently of the other, a second sleeve movably surrounding said first sleeve and secured to said hollow shaft,

an upright rotatable container carried by and coaxial with said second sleeve, a third sleeve movably surrounding said second sleeve and secured to said second shaft, said third sleeve having dasher blades, a driving element beneath said container, gearing for connecting said driving-element to said shafts selectively, said gearing comprising an oscillating element adapted to be connected solely to said second shaft and a rotating element adapted to be connected solely to said hollow shaft, and means for axially moving said shafts for disconnecting said gearing from vboth of said shafts before connecting it to either of said shafts.

10. In a laundry machine, in combination, a casing, an upright sleeve fixedly secured to the bottom thereof and rising above liquid level therein, a hollow shaft journaled in said sleeve, a second shaft journaled' inside said hollow shaft, said shafts being movable each independently of the other, a second sleeve movably surrounding said first sleeve and secured to said hollow shaft, an upright rotatable container carried by and coaxial with said second sleeve, a third sleeve movably surrounding said second sleeve and secured to said second shaft, said third sleeve having dasher blades, a driving element beneath said container, gearing for connecting said drivingelement to said shafts selectively, said gearing comprising an oscillating element adapted to be connected solely to said second shaft and a rotating element adapted to be connected solely to said hollow shaft. and means for axially moving said dasher and container for disconnectingsaid gearing from both of said shafts 'before connecting it to either of said shafts.

11. In a laundry machine, a casing, a container in said casing, an agitator located inside said container having a base portion closely adjacent to the container bottom with upstanding vanes, the marginal edgeportions of which are spaced a considerable distance from the side walls vof said container and facing in a generally outward direction from the center thereof, a rotating member and an oscillating member located underneath said casing, shaft means working through the bottom of said casing, and mechanism including said shaft means, eiective with said agitator in its operative position for selectively connecting and disconnecting either said rotating member with respect to said container or said oscillating member with respect to said agitator, but not otherwise, whereby said container is continuously rotated or said agitator is oscillated through an arc of less than 366, said mechanism having provisions `for maintaining said agitator stationary while said container is connected to said rotating member and leaving said container free while said agitatoris connected to said oscillating member.

12. In a laundrymachine, an agitator, a container and a casing,-located one inside the other in the order named, a rotating member and an oscillating member located underneath said caslng, member, shaft means working through said bearing member and the bottom of said casing for selectively connecting said oscillating member to said agitator and said rotating member to said container for operating said agitator and said container one-independently of the other, and manually controlled mechanism including said shaftmeans for raising and lowering said container and agitator foreither disconnecting said agitator from said oscillating member and then connecting said rotating member to said container or for disconnecting said container from said rotating member and-then connecting said oscillating member to said agitator.

13.'In a combined washing and extracting machine, a rotatable extractor-container, washing means comprising an agitating device adapted for back-and-forth movement in said extractorcontainer, rotatable and back-and-forth moving mechanism for respectively driving said extractor-container and said washing means each independently ofthe other, said mechanism including a relatively xed bearing member, a gear journaled thereon, a pair of shafts arranged one inside the other in said bearing member, said inner shaft being adapted for driving said washing means and said outer shaft being adapted for driving said extractor-container, and means operable with said washing means in place for selectively connecting said extractor-container and said washing means to said mechanism, said washing means being located in the central region of said container with its outermost marginal portions spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the side Wall of the extractor-container so as to define a space outside the agitator for the reception of the articles being centrifuged during the normal operation of the machine whereby such articles will be in contact only with the extractor-container and thus will have no tendency to drive the agitating device.

14. yIn a combined washing and extracting ma- .with respect to each other, rotatable a. fixed bearing member for' said rotating resilient lmeans working on said gear chine, a rotatable extractor-container, washing means comprising an agitating device adapted for back-and-forth movement in said extractor container, said washing means and said container being at all times free for relative and backand-forth moving mechanism for respectively driving said extractor-container and saidwashing means each independently of the other, said mechanism including a pair of shafts arranged one inside the other, said inner shaft being adapted for driving the agitating device of said washing means and said outershaft being adapted for driving saidextractor-container, and means operable with said washing means in place for selectively connecting said extractor-container and said washing means to said mechanism, said last-named means and mechanism including a gear journaled for movement on a fixed part of the machine and axially movable relatively thereto, a driving clutch'element fixed to said gear, a cooperating driven clutch element i'lxed to rotate with one of said shafts and movable into engagement with said driving clutch element and resilient means working` on said gear and d riving element for maintaining said clutch parts in driving engagement, said washing means being located in the central region of said container with its outermost marginal portions spaced in- Wardly a substantial distance from the side wall of the extractor-container so as to define a space outside the agitator for the reception of the -articles being centrifuged during the normal oper- 'ation of the machine whereby such articles will be in contact only with the extractorcontainer and thus will have no tendency to drive the agitating device. l

15. In a combined Washing and extracting machine, a rotatable extractor-container, washing means comprising an agitating deviceadapted for back-and-forth movement in said extractorcontainer, rotatable and back-and-forth moving mechanism for respectively driving said extractor-container and said washing means each independently of the other, said-mechanism including a pair of shafts arranged one inside the other, said inner shaft being adapted for driving the agitating device of said washing means and said outer shaft being adapted for driving said extractor-container, and means operable exteriorly of the said agitating device in place for selectively connecting said extractor-container andsaid washing means to said mechanism, said last-named means and mechanism including a gear journaled for movement on4 a. xed part of the machine and axially movablerelatively thereto, a driving clutch element fixed-to said gear, a cooperating driven clutch element iixed to rotate with said shaft means and movable into en-v movement machine with gagement with said driving clutch element and and. driving element for maintaining said clutch parts in driving engagement.

16. In a combined washing and extracting machine, a rotatable extractor-container, washing means adapted for back-and-forth movement comprising a vaned agitator extending upwardly from the bottom part of said extractor-container, and rotatable and back-and-forth moving mechamsm for respectively driving said extractor-container and said washing means each independentiy of the other, said mechanism including a relatively fixed bearing member, a gear journaled thereon and a pair of shafts'arranged one inside the other in said bearing member, said inner shaft being adapted for driving the vaned agitator of said washing means and said outer shaft being adapted for driving said extractor-container and means for connecting and disconnecting said outer shaft with respect to said gear, said agitator being located in the central region of said container with its outermost marginal portions spaced inwardly a substantial distance-from the side wall of the extractor-container so as to define a space outside the agitator for the reception oi the articles being centrifuged during the normal operation of the machine whereby such articles will be in contact only with the extractorcontainer and thus will h'ave no tendency to drive the agitating device.

1'1. In a combined washing and extracting machine, a rotatable extractor-container, washing means comprising an agitating device adapted for back-and-forth movement in said extractorcontainer, rotatable and back-and-forth moving mechanism for respectively driving said extractor-container and said washing means each independently of the other, coaxial driving shafts for said extractor-container and said washing means, the outer of said shafts being adapted for driving said extractor-container, means operable with said washing means in place for selectively connecting said shafts to said mechanism, the agitating device of said washing means being located in the central region of said container with its outermost marginal portions spaced inwardly a. substantial distance from the side wall of the extractor-container so as to deiine a space outside the agitator for the reception of the articles being centrifuged during the normal operation of the machine whereby such articles will be in contactonly with the extractorcontainer and thus will have no tendency to drive the agitating device, and means for maintaining said agitator stationary during the rotation of said extractor-container.

18. In a combined washing and extracting machine, a rotatable extractor-container, an oscillatable agitator in said extractor-container, rotatably and oscillatably moving mechanism for respectively driving said extractor-container and said agitator each independently of the other,

-said mechanism including a pair of shafts arranged one inside the other, said inner shaft being adapted for driving the agitator of said washing means and said outer shaft being adapted for driving said extractor-container, and means operable With said' agitator in place for selectively connecting said extractor-container and said agitator to said mechanism, said agitator being located in the central region of said t container with 'its outermost marginal portions spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the side wall of the extractor-container so as to deiine a space outside the agitator for the reception of the articles being centrifuged during the normal operation of the machine whereby such articles will be in contact only with the extractorcontainer and thus will have no tendency to drive the agitating device, andmeans for maintaining said agitator stationary during the rotation of I said extractor-container. 

